The field of the disclosure relates generally to routing data within a global network and, more specifically, to methods for automatically managing network topology, discovering services, and improving performance at local gateways in communication with IP-based and non-IP-based (whether networked or non-networked) nodes.
Gateway solutions are needed to seamlessly interconnect the global information grid (GIG) with current and future purpose-built networks consisting of Internet Protocol (IP) and non-IP waveforms. The GIG provides command and control features and information sharing to deliver classified and unclassified IP services to key operating locations worldwide. This global network is designed with redundant routes between points to ensure connectivity is not disrupted by a failure at single point. Communication is protected from interception and forgery through the use of High Assurance Internet Protocol Encryption (HAIPE) architecture and protocol services. This results in significant network overhead and associated latency but is necessary to make the GIG a robust, highly reliable network.
As implied above, directly connecting tactical devices to the GIG introduces a risk of communication latency between tactical devices in an operating location. Furthermore, directly connecting tactical devices to the GIG is feasible only for IP-enabled nodes and requires manual address and/or routing configuration each time a node connects to a router, disconnects from a router, or moves from one router to another. Even in the absence of significant latency, network bandwidth may constrain application performance at a local node accessing data from a remote node via the GIG. In addition, network nodes often require data processing services but may be poorly suited to perform such services themselves.